Equipping University

Whatever the reason, all Christians must come face to face with the difficult question: "Where was/is God in all evil?" The act of providing an answer to that question is called a theodicy. This strange word comes from the Greek: theos (God) and dike (justice). A theodicy, in its attempts to offer the reason God has for allowing evil to exist in the world, defends the righteousness or justice of God in light of accusations of unrighteousness or injustice. The question is famously phrased thusly: "Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence, then is evil?" Most people do not like to ponder such troublesome issues. It is for that reason that we change the channel with certain images appear (the starving child, the politician from the opposing party that "gets under your skin," the images of actual abortions). However, Christians must ponder such issues.